stickypatch

Usually when I check the oil level I have to pull the stick out and clean it off several times as the oil is clear and very hard to see on the twisted part of the dispstick. I usually convince myself too, that I've spread oil all over the metal as I pull the absurdly long thing out of the end of the whatchamacallit it goes in.

Just wondered if there is a trick to doing this that makes the level more obvious - like certain light sources or some such thing?

Deadeye

Let your oil get dirty and it will be easy. On a more serious note, i need a very bright light (llike the sun) and cheater reading glasses to get the job done.

timothymoffat

Yes.

geolab

away from running engine, lay the curved rod on a flat tissue-napkin-kleenex
pretty precise but impossible to do on the road

ble2011

I agree, it's very difficult to see. It takes me several tries and then hopefully, I have it correct.

KaiB

Laying the stick onto a shop towel works. Be careful of lint.

I always have boxes of the blue John Deere shop rags around - they seem to be the best.

The oil will dampen the rag and make ID easy.

Quadcammer

use the gauge

UserA

I am so glad I am not the only one who looks like an idiot trying to read the level.

JPS

That's what I do too...

Though I just use a paper towel flat in my hand.

TMc993

I took a small file and etched a groove at the halfway point on the dip stick. It doesn't make clean oil any easier to see, but does provide a visual "marker" for the Full point on the stick and, for me at least, makes it much easier to guage the oil level.

Of course, this modification rendered my car ineligible for any concours d'elegance competition.

Terry

justin993

hard to read thanks to a great filtration system
Even when wiped on a paper towel and left to dry, oil dries clean

Opo

+1

Quadcammer

uhh, what?

RocketJohn

Doesn't the oil temp have to be hot in temp vs warm?

justin993

with the 2 filters the oil stays pretty clean even with some miles on it - makes it hard to read on stick
The filter on the oil tank looks like it was taken off a piece of heavy equipment

I do agree with you on reading the gauge. If the car as at temp and level, it seems to read pretty accurately.